A Moment in Time (25 page)

“Ma!” he called at the top of his lungs. He was coming in from the back of the house from the sound of it.

Marty squeezed Alice’s hands and dropped her hold.

“Ma, are you sure you don’t have Mrs. Chesterfield’s address in Chicago? I couldn’t find—” He fell silent the moment he stepped into the room.

Marty watched his face as he caught sight of the party gathered there. She might have laughed at her nephew’s stunned expression, but without warning he crossed the room and pulled Alice up from the couch. Then without so much as an explanation, Robert hoisted her over his shoulder like a sack of beans and headed for the door.

“We need to talk,” he declared.

Once the couple was gone from sight, the entire room
erupted in laughter. “She’s in for it now,” Mrs. Chesterfield said. “Did you see the look on her face?”

Hannah shook her head. “If I’m any judge of people, I’d say Robert is in for it, as well.” She shrugged and held up her glass of tea in a toast. “I guess we’re to be in-laws. Here’s to us.”

Ravinia Chesterfield raised her glass. “To Robert and Alice.”

Alice had the wind knocked from her when her body hit Robert’s rock-hard shoulder. His strides only made matters worse as he stormed out of the house and across the yard. He headed in the direction of the river and ranted all the way.

“I can’t believe you would go runnin’ off like that. Scared a dozen years off my life. I never in my life seen a woman more stubborn and irritatin’. Here I was half sick with worry and wonderin’ how in the world I was ever gonna find you in Chicago, and you just turn up here pretty as you please.”

Alice tried to comment, but it was hard enough just to get her breath. “You . . . don’t . . . have . . . to—”

“And how many times do I have to tell you that there’s nothin’ between Jessica and me. Just because folks expected us to marry didn’t mean we were gonna marry. I tried to tell you that I felt nothin’ for her except brotherly love. But you wouldn’t listen.”

Again Alice tried to speak. “Robert . . . you need . . . to . . . put me . . . down.”

“You know, it just never fails to amaze me how folks can get their minds made up about a thing and not let it go. I put an end to any weddin’ plans weeks ago. I wanted to tell you, but you kept avoiding me. I swear you were harder to corner than a badger.”

He finally stopped, and Alice could see they were at the ravine above the river. Several cottonwoods shaded the sun and made a rather pleasant setting. Alice struggled against Robert’s hold, and he finally put her down.

Fixing him with a stare, Alice gulped in air. However, he didn’t give her time to comment. “I don’t love Jessica Atherton. For your information, I’ve loved you since we first met. You did something to me deep in my heart.” He thumped his hand against his chest. “I know Marty was worried that I only cared about you because you’d been hurt—” he paused, shaking his head—“but that wasn’t the reason.”

Alice decided it was better to remain silent and let him speak his mind. His face seemed to contort between expressions of love and anger. Alice thought him the handsomest man she’d ever known, even with the two-day growth of stubble on his face. Truth be told, she’d loved him from first sight.

“I love you because of who you are inside. You’re thoughtful and kind, gentle and lovin’. I’ve watched you with your brother and seen how you came around to forgivin’ your ma. You brood over Marty like a mother hen to her chicks. I’ve seen you work, too. You’ve helped my ma in more ways than one.”

He began to pace before her. “When I found out you were gone, I thought I was gonna be sick. I read your letter, and when I saw that you loved me, too, it only made me all the more determined to find you and set things right. Instead, I
chased all over the countryside only to lose any sign of you. Do you know how I felt when I realized you were probably already on your way to Chicago?”

Alice started to answer, but Robert continued his tirade. Turning, he pointed a finger at her. “Well, it wasn’t good. I can tell you that. Fact is, it liked to have killed me. I hate big cities, but I hated more thinkin’ that I’d never see you again.”

With her hands on her hips and her brow raised in question, Alice finally had a chance to speak. “Are you done?”

Robert seemed surprised by this. He started to comment but then closed his mouth and knelt on one knee. “Not quite.” He fumbled in his pocket, and when he extended his hand toward her, Alice could see he was holding a ring.

“Will you marry me?”

A smile formed on her lips. He really was the man of her prayers. “I thought you’d never ask.” She reached out to take the ring.

But instead of giving it to her, Robert rose and slipped it on her finger. He started to embrace her for a kiss, but Alice held him back. “I’ve never been kissed by a man, and I’d like to wait until we’re married.”

Robert studied her face for a moment, and Alice wasn’t at all sure what was going through his mind. He reached up and tenderly ran his hand down her scarred face.

“I’ve held back from that kind of intimacy, as well. Never thought I’d meet up with someone who felt the same way. I’d be honored to wait.” He took hold of her hand and kissed the back of it in genteel fashion. Lifting his head, he gave her a lopsided grin. “So long as you don’t keep me waiting too long.”

“How about a few weeks?” she asked. “We could marry in June.”

“Why June?”

“That will give my mother time to collect her things in Chicago and get moved down here. She’s going to work for your mother.”

“Truly?” He chuckled. “Well, looks like we’ll have all our family around us.” He stopped and frowned. “You know I don’t intend to live anywhere else, don’t you? This is my home, and Pa told me that he wants to rearrange things right away so that we have the east wing of the main house to ourselves.”

She smiled. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Texas and this ranch suit me just fine.” Now it was her turn to frown. “But what if Mr. Smith tracks me down here? There’s still that complication to contend with. I don’t trust him to give up just because we left Denver.”

“If he shows his sorry face around here, I’ll deal with him,” Robert said in a most protective way.

His declaration warmed Alice’s heart. She would finally truly be safe and happy. She gazed back across the field toward the house. “I suppose we should go tell them we plan to marry.”

He took hold of her arm. “I think they probably already know, but it can’t hurt to make it official.”

Alice paused and looked at the man who would be her husband. “I love you, Robert.”

He grinned. “And I love you, but if you keep lookin’ at me that way I’m gonna haul you off to the justice of the peace right now.”

That evening at the supper table the conversation was all about the changes that would be made to the main house.

“I think maybe we should keep Ravinia and Simon in the
Montoya house,” Robert’s mother said. “Alice can live there, too, of course, until she and Robert marry.” She glanced at her husband. “Couldn’t we just build ourselves a little place—maybe over by the river?”

“I suppose we could.”

Robert looked at his bride-to-be and then to his parents. “I don’t want you to go to all that trouble and expense. Alice and I talked about it, and there’s no reason we can’t all live under one roof.”

Marty put her fork down. “You know, he’s right.”

“Well, we wanted to afford them some privacy,” Mother replied. “After all, they need time to get to know each other without a lot of folks hanging over them.”

“Might I offer a solution?” Mrs. Chesterfield asked.

“Of course,” Father said.

Robert winked at Simon, who was fidgeting in his seat, anxious for dessert. A tremendous feeling of relief washed over him as he realized everything would be exactly as he’d hoped. He offered a silent prayer of thanks.

“What do you think about that, Robert?”

He looked to his mother in confusion. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear what was said.”

Father laughed. “Better get your head outta the clouds, son. There’s a lot of work to be done before that weddin’.”

“I was just prayin’. Thankin’ God for His mercy . . . and for Alice.”

She blushed at this and put her attention on the food. Mother quickly picked up the discussion. “Ravinia has suggested that she and Simon live here in the house for at least the first year, while you and Alice take the Montoya place.”

Robert grinned. “I think that would work out well for all of us. Thank you, Mrs. Chesterfield.”

“You can start calling me Mother Chesterfield, if you’d like.”

“I’d like that very much.” He glanced at Simon and smiled. “And you’re gonna be my little brother. I always wanted a brother.” Robert then took pity on the poor boy. “But, Ma, I think if you don’t serve up that custard pie, Simon is gonna waste away.” Everyone laughed except Simon, who was nodding most enthusiastically.

After dinner, while the women cleared the table, Robert and his father had a chance to talk. Robert relished these times. They’d always been close, and he couldn’t imagine doing anything without his father’s support.

“So, do you approve of my marryin’ Alice?”

Father seemed surprised by this question and narrowed his eyes. “Haven’t I made that clear? I think Alice is a fine woman. She’s gonna fit into our family just right. Fact is, she’s everything I ever prayed your wife would be.”

“You prayed about my wife?”

“Don’t sound so shocked,” Father replied, easing down into his favorite leather chair.

Robert took a seat, as well. “I guess I never thought about it.”

“Well, since you’ll no doubt be a father one day, you ought to give it some thought. Prayin’ for your children is something you do on a daily basis. You pray for their safety and health. You pray for their happiness. You pray they’ll make good decisions. And you pray for the people who will touch their lives, especially when it comes to a spouse.”

“And you’ve been prayin’ about mine.”

“Since the first day you were born.”

Robert shook his head. “I never knew.”

Father chuckled. “Son, you don’t know the half of it, but one day you will.”

“I know that I want to be as happy as you and Ma have been. I’ve never seen two people more suited to each other. Folks are always sayin’ it’s like you were meant to be together from the beginnin’ of time.”

“I like to think so, too. Your mother completes me. I didn’t even know that something was missin’ until I met her. She’s caused me no end of grief at times, but also no end of love.” He paused and rubbed his chin. “You know, there will be times of grief and anger. You can’t avoid those things in life.”

“I do know. But I also remember your tellin’ me that when we belong to God, we don’t have to bear those things alone. I want to be a good husband to Alice.”

“Then stay close to God, son. If you’re right with the Lord, everything else will fall into place. It doesn’t mean there won’t be ups and downs, but He will be a strong support in times of need.”

Robert knew that support already. His faith was a stronghold in which he found security and love.

Alice appeared at the opening to the dining room. “They’ve kicked me out of the kitchen and said I should spend some time with you, Robert.”

He got to his feet and crossed the room to take hold of her arm. “Why, I’d be plumb pleased to spend the evenin’ with you. Why don’t we go on out to the barn and take a look at your colt?”

“I would enjoy that very much.”

“Now, don’t you two go gettin’ carried away,” Father warned. “I know a thing or two about rolls in the hay.”

Robert looked at him in mock horror. “You and Ma—rollin’ in the hay? And I thought my folks were respectable.”

Father laughed. “Respectable, yes. But with a flood of
feelin’s for each other. Now, you two go on before I change my mind. I could always find a chore for you to do, Robert.”

“Yes, sir!” He pushed Alice toward the door. “We’re movin’.”

The night skies held an abundance of stars. The earlier clouds had moved out, and now there was nothing to keep them from seeing the vast expanse of the heavens.

“It’s so beautiful,” Alice said, gazing upward. “I’ve never known anything like this.”

“I never want to know anything else,” Robert said softly. “Except for you.”

She trembled slightly, and Robert worried that she would catch a chill. “Are you cold?”

“No,” Alice whispered. “Just overcome by my heart and the way I feel about you. I never thought true love would come along for me after the attack. Oh, I hoped it would. Your aunt and I used to talk about there being a good man somewhere who wouldn’t mind my scarred face.”

Robert stopped and turned Alice to face him. “When I look into your eyes and see the love you have for me shinin’ back, I don’t see the scar. You are an incredible woman, Alice. I wanna have children with you and grow old with you. And when I die, I wanna be buried next to you.”

“I feel the same way,” she said in a barely audible voice. “I’ll never want for anything more than that.”

Jake and Marty retired to their bedroom. The day had been quite productive, and Marty was more than a little tired. She yawned and rolled her head to ease the tension in her neck. Jake led her to a chair and had her take a seat. He began kneading her sore muscles.